Apparatus for making crank-shafts



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' O. P. ROPER.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS.

Patented May 17,1898.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. F. ROPER.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CRANK SHAFTS.

Patented May 17,1898.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROPER, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DRAPER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CRANK-SHAFTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,267, dated May 17, 1898.

Application filed September 27, 1897. Serial No. 658,088. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. RoPER, of IIopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Making Crank-Shafts, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

Thisinvention has for its object the production of an improved apparatus for making metal crank-shafts wherein the crank-arms are integral with the shaft, such shafts being particularly adapted for use in looms and other apparatus wherein a large and heavy shaft is not required.

In practicing myinvention the shaft is made from a preferably cylindrical rod or blank, which is heated and given a preliminary bend at the point where the crank is to be made. Suitable dies then act upon the preliminary bend, reversing its curvature and forming the sides and end of the crank, while a third step serves to set up the crank and finish it, at the same time bringing itinto proper relation with the main portion of the shaft.

Figure 1, in partial side elevation and broken out to save space, represents an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial left-hand end elevation thereof, the die and former being shown as separated. Fig. 3 is an under side view of the die to more clearly show the construction thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus on the line was, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a top or plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the die omitted. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the blank. detail views showing the successive forms through which the crank passes in the process. Fig. 10 is a top view of the finished crank; and Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional detail taken on the line 00 00, Fig. 9, looking down.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, the apparatus comprises a suitable base or stand A,

having u ri hts A, provided with uides A p b b on which a cross-head Bis adapted to be vertically reciprocated by any suitable mechanism. (Not shown and forming no part of my invention.) The cross-head is undercut on Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are its lower face, as best shown in Fig. 2, to receive a die D, which cooperates with a fixed or stationery former F, suitably held in the top of the base below the die. The former has at one side two upwardly and oppositely inclined faces f, provided with longitudinal grooves or seats f, with a blunt wedge-shaped depression between the1n, formed by the fiat converging walls f preferably at right angles to the seats, the bottom of the depression having a recess or seat f formed therein.

As shown in Fig. 5, the seats f f are in alinement, and they serve to .hold the blank and partially shape the crank by the cooperation of the die D, which latter is provided on its face with a projection (1, having flat downwardly-converging sides d and a recess d in its lower end, the projection d corresponding in general shape with the depression between the faces f of the former.

A heavy block 5 of metal is rigidly secured to the former above and adjacent one of the seats f to act as an abutment for the end of the blank b Fig. 6, the blank being of suitable length and of the diameter desired for the crank-shaft to be made therefrom.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a bracket 0 at the rear end of the former supports a plunger o, longitudinally movable in the adjacent seatf, said plunger having its reduced shank 0 extended through the bracket and surrounded by a strong spring 3 to normally maintain the plunger pushed upward, as in Fig. 1. The plunger acts as a yielding stopgage for the end of the blank, determining the distance of the crank from the end of the shaft, and it gives slightly when the preliminary bend is made in the blank, as will be described.

At back and front of the projection d on the die are located extensions (i having inclined faces (1 provided with longitudinal depressions or seats d, which cooperate with the faces f and seats f, respectively, of the former, the opposing pairs of seats just receiving and tightly holding parts of the blank when the die has fully descended, as in Fig. 1.

The blank 12 is first heated in a suitable furnace, and then one end is placed in the rear seatf' of the former beneath the abutment 5 and against the stop 0, after which the workman bends the blank over and down into or toward the front seat f, giving the pre liminary bend 12 (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.) The cross-head and die D then descend, and the grooved end d of the projection d engages the blank at about the middle of the preliminary bend, reversing the curvature of the latter as the die descends to position shown in Fig. 1. The crank-arms C, Fig. 7, are flattened somewhat between the faces d d while the connecting-bar (E is shaped by the recesses 01 f the armsO being at right angles to adjacent portions of the blank, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, but inclined toward each other. As the die closes upon the former there is some tendency of the blank to elongate in the seats f, and at the rear end the yielding gage c accommodates itself to the elongation. After the crank is thus partially made the next step is to straighten up and set the crank, with the two parts of the shaft in alinement, and this is effected by removing the blank from the seats fand inserting the end 19 in a longitudinal groove h in the former beneath a holding-block 8, Figs. 4 and 5, and bringing the crank over the upturned projection 71. of the former. The blank bends readily at the points 2 3, Fig. 7, and the crank is made to straddle the projection 71%, with the cross-bar O resting in the depression h in the top of the projection, an arm 0 at each vertical end of the latter, and the longer part b of the blank is positioned in the depression 71. in alinement with the depression h.

The blank is then ready to be acted upon by.

a second descent of the die D to set the crank, the die having a recess 01 therein (see dotted lines, Figs. 2 and 4) to receive the projection h said recess having a depression (1 therein, semicircular in cross-section, to receive one-half of the connecting-bar O In alinement with each other and with the depression d are two longitudinal depressions d d in the face of the former F to receive, respectively, the parts I) b of the blank. The closure of the die upon the former acts to fix or accurately set the crank,with its arms 0, in parallelism and at right angles to the shaft and the connecting-bar (I of the crank, and at the same time to shorten the arms 0, spreading them slightly in a lateral direction. In Fig. 8 the blank is shown with the crankarms substantially in parallelism and at right angles to the shaft, while in Fig. 9 is shown the crank after it has been set as just described, it being noticed that the arms 0 of the crank have been shortened. The fiattened outer faces of the crank-arms are shown most clearly in Fig. 10. Finally, if desired, the crank may be swaged to give the reduced arms the substantially elliptical shape shown in Fig. 11, this swaging being done by turning the crank on its side on the former in the swaging-recess S, a corresponding recess S being formed in the face of the die. Thus by slight manual manipulation in connection with three operations of the die and former a complete crank is formed in the blank integral with the material of the shaft and accurately positioned with relation thereto, the final step of swaging insuring the absolute truing of the crank with relation to the shaft.

In looms and some other apparatus it is usual to provide the crank-shaft with two cranks, one near each end, and I have provided means in connection with my apparatus for effecting the true alinement of one crank with the other.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, trunnion-plates g are rigidly secured to each side of the former and recessed at their upper ends at g to receive the trunnions g of two lever-arms G, preferably having counterweights W at their rear ends, said levers being connected at one end by a bolt 9 and at the forward ends by a cross-bar. This cross-bar has a forward extension G and toggle-links g 9 pivotally connected together at g are jointed at g and g to the extension .G and the base A of the apparatus, respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, the toggle when strained bringing the extensions G into substantially horizontal position. At its outer end said extension-arm supports a block M, adj ustably secured in place by suitable bolts m the block having formed therein a substantially U-shaped recess m in the vertical plane of the seats f of the former, a groove m in the top of the block at each side of the recess on being also in alinement with the said seats.

Supposing now that one crank has been formed, as described, the other end of the blank is heated and its end inserted beneath the abutment 5 and against the stop-gage c, after which the preliminary bend is made in the blank, as before described, and the crank is partially formed, the completed crank being inserted in the recess m of the guideblock M, at such time the extension G being substantially horizontal, as shown in Fig. 4. The toggle is then broken and the lever-arms G are swung on their trunnions into the position shown in Fig. 1, thus completing the bend, the parts of the shaft adjacent the completed crank resting in the grooves m of the guide-block. The recess m is of such a shape and size as to permit no lateral play of the completed crank; but, as shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines, it is somewhat longer than the distance between the outer faces of the crankarms 0. This is to allow for slight movement of the shaft as the preliminary bend is made, and it will be understood that the stop-gage c is of such a length as will give the proper length to the outer end of the shaft beyond the crank. While the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the die D descends to reverse the curvature of the preliminary bend and form the second crank in the shape shown in Fig. '7. The die then ascends and the attendant lifts the shaft out from both the former and the guide-block M, and, turning the shaft around, inserts the short end nearest the second crank beneath the holding-block 8 on the former and proceeds to straighten up the second crank, as before de scribed. The second crank having thus been brought in position over the projection h of the former, the die descends and sets the crank; but before the descent of the die the completed crank has been made to straddle a guide projection 02 on the guide-block, the said projection having in its top a grooved seat n for the connecting-bar O of the completed crank, the adjacent portions of the shaft resting in grooves n n at the front and back of the guide projection n and in alinement with the longitudinal grooves 71. 71. in the former and in the same horizontal plane. The completed crank being thus held in position, it is impossible for the second crank to be set out of true as the die D descends for the second time. Thus during the first forming action of the die and former and during the second action the second crank in process of formation is positively maintained in proper position relative to the finished crank and the shaft.

A brace 9 may be employed to connect the guide-block M with the longer portion of the cross-bar G to steady the guide-block, the brace depending through a depending car 111. on the said block.

By the apparatus hereinbefore described crank-shafts may be made very rapidly and accurately, the cranks forming integral portions of the shaft, and it will be obvious that double or single crank-shafts may be made with my apparatus.

By adjusting the guide-block M on the extension G2 the distance between the two cranks is regulated.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a former having upwardly and oppositely inclined seats for and to receive the portions of the blank, at each side of and adjacent a preliminary bend therein, and a depressed portion between the inner ends of the seats, and a retaining device for one end of the blank when preliminarily bent to rest in said seats, combined with a cooperating die adapted to engage the convex side of the preliminary bend in the blank between the seats and reverse the curvature thereof, the die forcing the bent portion of the blank into the depressed portion of the former, to thereby make the bottom and sides of the final bend or crank, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a former having upwardly and oppositely inclined seats for the preliminarily bent blank, and a wedge-shaped depression between them, the converging sides of said depression being substantially at right angles to the adjacent seats, combined with a cooperating die having a wedge-shaped projection to engage the bent portion of a blank resting in the seats and to force the same into the depression of the former, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a former having upwardly and oppositely inclined seats and a wedge-shaped depression therebetween; a projection on the former having a recessed top, and longitudinal seats in the former oppositely extended from the base of said projection, in alinement with each other and in the plane of the recess; and a swaging-recess in said former, combined with a die having awedge-shaped projection to cooperate with the similarly-shaped depression in the former a cavity in the die to be entered by the projection on the former, and a swaging-recess, whereby a blank may be acted upon by said die and former to form successively a bend therein having divergent sides, straighten the sides of and set the bend, and finally swage the latter, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a former, a cooperating die, one of which is movable toward and from the other, said die and former being constructed to act upon a blank to form a crank therein by successive steps, and a yielding stop-gage for the end of the blank, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a former, a cooperating die, one of which is movable toward and from the other, said die and former being constructed to act upon a blank to form a crank therein by successive steps, a guide-block to receive a completed crank while a second crank is being formed in the blank, and a pivotally-mounted support for said guide-block, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a former, a cooperating die, one of which is movable toward and from the other, said die and former being constructed to act upon a blank to form a crank therein by successive steps, a guide-block having a'crankreceiving recess, a projection to hold the completed crank when the blank is reversed, and means to move the guide-block, said recess and projection thereon being adapted to cooperate respectively with successively-operating portions of the die and former, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. ROPER.

Witnesses:

E. D. BANCROFT, E. E. HOWARD. 

